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I'm about the same stature as you. I first got a 500 and then a 250 a few weeks later. I'd have to say that the 500 feels like a "real" motorcycle, with its weight and width. The 250 feels like a little bike and is light as hell. It's easy to stop from falling in unfortunate noob situations compared to the 500. Go for the 250. I found myself learning from the 250 and applying my new knowledge to the 500; I didn't do so for vice versa. You will learn better steering and turning skills from the 250.
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Apr 11, 2011 01:54
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Note to self: after cleaning carbs, do not let willingness of bike to start distract you from setting the idle  I knew the wife's 250 took awhile to warm up, but I couldn't figure out why it kept dying on her when she took it off choke after a few miles. 
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Apr 11, 2011 02:57
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The 500 isn't as light or forgiving as the 250, but it's still a good beginner bike. Just try and get it cheap.
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Apr 11, 2011 03:04
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House Party 4 posted:On the same note, ninja250.org seems to indicate that a Ninja EX500 isn't that bad of an idea over a Ninja 250. If I'm beginning (and taking the MSF equivalent in Canada) is the 500cc a bad choice for bike #1? I'm +220lbs and 6ft. It seems the 500 is a bit heavier and gets worse mileage, but would anyone take one over a 250 for a first bike? Isn't insurance in Canada based on CC and that up to 400cc is reasonable then afterwards it's tons more? That's why they got a sleeved ninja 650 to bring it down to 400cc for insurance purposes? That might be something to consider as well when looking.
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Apr 11, 2011 03:51
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Z3n posted:Have you checked that the float valves are sealing correctly? Bringing this back one more time. I opened up my coasting enricher, and one side of the spring seat is bent severely, however, I don't know if this is keeping it open or not. If it is, could it be overly-richening the mixture?
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Apr 11, 2011 04:23
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Interesting replies on the 250 vs 500 argument, thanks. I'm 28 and married and have been driving cars cautiously and without accidents or tickets for 12 years. I don't plan on doing anything stupid on whatever bike I end up with, but it's those noob mistakes and skill building opportunities that make me favour the idea of the 250. Since I'm bigger and will probably want to stick with one bike for a while, I'm also considering the 500. I realize that the 250 is a great all-rounder, but I was surprised to see the comparison at ninja250.org not bashing the 500 more. Insurance is another question - I plan to call around this week. Man I am getting so pumped for this summer. I just bought the jacket I have been eyeing up and I think I'll pull the trigger on a helmet tonight.
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Apr 11, 2011 15:33
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You probably will not keep your first bike for a long time, it's not like a car. And as you'll find out the insurance on the 250 will be laughably cheap. Just because you don't plan on doing something stupid doesn't mean you won't. Don't forget to buy some pants/knee armor and some full boots too, your feet are precious.
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Apr 11, 2011 17:30
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Russian Bear posted:You probably will not keep your first bike for a long time, it's not like a car. And as you'll find out the insurance on the 250 will be laughably cheap. Just because you don't plan on doing something stupid doesn't mean you won't. Yeah i've had my 250 for about 6 months now and I'm already at that point where I want more power. It's a great bike and I love it in the twistys, but my riding group consists of a buell 1125r, and 2 Harley sportsters, so when they all launch I'm struggling to keep up.
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Apr 11, 2011 19:17
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On the other hand, I've had my Ninja for almost 3 years now, mostly because it's so cheap to run and maintain, and it's still plenty of fun, so it's not like you're guaranteed to outgrow one, though you may eventually desire to try something more.
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Apr 11, 2011 21:09
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Anyone know if a ninja 250 fits in the back of an Aerostar van? My DRZ just barely doesn't fit due to height, which was a very awkward and unpleasant discovery at the time, but I'm almost positive the little Ninja is a good bit shorter. I don't have anybody I can mooch a pickup truck from at the moment, so I'm hoping I can shove it in the back of one of our work vans the next time I head out that way.
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Apr 11, 2011 23:28
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drzrma posted:Anyone know if a ninja 250 fits in the back of an Aerostar van? It should. You might have to pull the windshield. I've fit an SV650 and a ZX6E in the back of a van before, so the wee 250 shouldn't be an issue.
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Apr 11, 2011 23:31
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Z3n posted:It should. You might have to pull the windshield. I've fit an SV650 and a ZX6E in the back of a van before, so the wee 250 shouldn't be an issue. Good to hear. I was pretty sure it would work, but since my last misadventure involved dropping a DRZ on myself in the back of a van, then discovering that the gasoline I smelled was in fact dripping onto my crotch, asking if it had been done before didn't seem like a bad idea.
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Apr 11, 2011 23:49
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I've had a 250 in the back of minivan minus the windshield before
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Apr 12, 2011 00:04
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Demonlord posted:Yeah i've had my 250 for about 6 months now and I'm already at that point where I want more power. It's a great bike and I love it in the twistys, but my riding group consists of a buell 1125r, and 2 Harley sportsters, so when they all launch I'm struggling to keep up. . There will be much investment in duct tape and bondo.
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Apr 12, 2011 08:53
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*sigh* Please help me start my bike, Internet. After I last posted, I ended up getting a new battery, because it completely lost its charge in the half hour it took me to get to the store with it. I charged it for 6 hours (my trickle charger doesn't have an automatic shut off), popped it in, and rode it home, and then rode it to work the next day with no problem. After that it was a yucky couple days, so I didn't ride it. And then one day it was going to snow (sorry, Diablo, for not leaving you in your cozy garage), and I tried to start my bike to move it around to a more sheltered area...and it wouldn't start. So, as it was starting to snow, I just wrapped it in a tarp and left it. Got the battery out a couple days later and charged it. So today, I put the battery (which I charged last night) back in the bike, tightened up the chain, and it won't start. Again. I can lightly smell gas at the exhaust, the starter cranks the engine, but there's no actual firing. We (we = me and my dad) checked all the wires, and everything looked fine. I am mechanically retarded, and my dad hasn't owned a bike since the 70s, so saying it looks fine doesn't necessarily mean it is fine. Where should we be looking?
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May 1, 2011 22:49
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I'm sure you checked this, but is the petcock positioned correctly?
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May 1, 2011 23:08
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hayden. posted:I'm sure you checked this, but is the petcock positioned correctly? Haha it is. I was going to specify that and forgot.
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May 2, 2011 00:42
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modify_evolution posted:Where should we be looking? Your bike needs fuel, air, and spark to run. Check your spark plugs. If they're wet, dry them off. If they're black and sooty, clean them. You can remove one, re-attach it to the boot outside the engine, and ground it on something while cranking to see if it gives off a spark.
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May 2, 2011 03:04
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Looking for my first bike ever tomorrow and think the 250 may be for me. However the 650 caught my eye. I know everyone recommends starting off smaller, and I am no speed demon. This will purely be for high-mpg daily work driving and the occasional country joy ride so I don't care if the bike won't go 150mph or 0-60 in 5 seconds. Is there any other advantage to the 650 other than just pure hp and speed? I'm 5'9" and about 180lbs, so as long as the 250 can get up and go at a decent clip with my goony frame on it I'm not gonna complain. I did see that the new 650s are fuel injected but being bike-stupid I'm not sure how exactly that would compare to a standard carburetor. Also, I tried to hit up that 250 wiki but it seems to be down? ChesterJT fucked around with this message at 03:22 on May 2, 2011 |
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May 2, 2011 03:16
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ChesterJT posted:Looking for my first bike ever tomorrow and think the 250 may be for me. However the 650 caught my eye. I know everyone recommends starting off smaller, and I am no speed demon. This will purely be for high-mpg daily work driving and the occasional country joy ride so I don't care if the bike won't go 150mph or 0-60 in 5 seconds. Is there any other advantage to the 650 other than just pure hp and speed? I'm 5'9" and about 180lbs, so as long as the 250 can get up and go at a decent clip with my goony frame on it I'm not gonna complain. I did see that the new 650s are fuel injected but being bike-stupid I'm not sure how exactly that would compare to a standard carburetor. I would shy away from the 650s unless you have previous dirt bike or scooter experience, so that you would be familiar with riding on two wheels. A ninja 250 would be fine for you, it can hit highway speeds, is light, and can be had cheap if you buy used, which you should.
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May 2, 2011 04:07
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modify_evolution posted:Haha it is. I was going to specify that and forgot. BlueBayou had issues with that bike when it got wet because there are a shitload of exposed connectors. Don't store it outside in the rain/snow. Check fuses, but chances are it just needs to dry out.
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May 2, 2011 07:31
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Z3n posted:BlueBayou had issues with that bike when it got wet because there are a shitload of exposed connectors. Don't store it outside in the rain/snow. Aw now I miss my old cantankerous bike.
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May 2, 2011 07:39
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ChesterJT posted:so I don't care if the bike won't go 150mph or 0-60 in 5 seconds.  It's fine for highway riding though, it will just cruise at a higher rpm than a bigger bike.
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May 2, 2011 18:23
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ChesterJT posted:Looking for my first bike ever tomorrow and think the 250 may be for me. However the 650 caught my eye. I know everyone recommends starting off smaller, and I am no speed demon. This will purely be for high-mpg daily work driving and the occasional country joy ride so I don't care if the bike won't go 150mph or 0-60 in 5 seconds. Is there any other advantage to the 650 other than just pure hp and speed? I'm 5'9" and about 180lbs, so as long as the 250 can get up and go at a decent clip with my goony frame on it I'm not gonna complain. I did see that the new 650s are fuel injected but being bike-stupid I'm not sure how exactly that would compare to a standard carburetor. FI versus carbs really only matters from a maintenance standpoint (FI being much lower maint, but also pretty impossible to fix yourself if it breaks). You don't have to worry about choke with FI either, which is nice. The 650 is a ton of fun and the Versys (lots of same parts, including engine) received a ton of praise when it was released. That said, 250s are pretty easy to buy and flip after you're comfortable with it. It will do everything you want it to, but may become immensely boring after you ride something like the 650. So in short, get the 250 but don't ride anything to compare it to 
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May 2, 2011 18:27
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Z3n posted:BlueBayou had issues with that bike when it got wet because there are a shitload of exposed connectors. Don't store it outside in the rain/snow. You know, someone (...possibly you) said that last year too, but I didn't have any issues with it, even after leaving it outside in several torrential downpours. Guess it was just waiting until I liked it enough to put up with its crap.
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May 3, 2011 08:01
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hayden. posted:That said, 250s are pretty easy to buy and flip after you're comfortable with it. It will do everything you want it to, but may become immensely boring after you ride something like the 650. So in short, get the 250 but don't ride anything to compare it to Ok that's where I have a question. I hear this from everyone who has ridden a bike. They say I'll get bored with a 250 fast. As an outsider, what exactly would make it boring? Is it just a matter of speed? I mean, from my perspective they both have two wheels, go vroom, and I would imagine both feel exactly the same cruising at 55mph. And thanks for the info about FI. That's exactly what I was assuming but wanted to be sure.
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May 3, 2011 18:46
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Like I said, you won't get bored unless you know what you're missing. Starting riding brand new and jumping on a 250 is a lot of fun for someone who's never done it before. Even some experienced riders have a hard-on for 250s, though mostly because of how light they are and that you can rev them a lot without breaking laws. It's not about cruising at 55, it's about how you get there. Torque is a lot of fun and the 650 has a lot of it. The 250 has seemingly none. If you go WOT at 55 on a 250 nothing really happens. On a 650, the engine roars to life and you take off. Riding either is inherently fun, especially for a beginner. Don't worry about it.
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May 3, 2011 18:53
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ChesterJT posted:Ok that's where I have a question. I hear this from everyone who has ridden a bike. They say I'll get bored with a 250 fast. As an outsider, what exactly would make it boring? Is it just a matter of speed? I mean, from my perspective they both have two wheels, go vroom, and I would imagine both feel exactly the same cruising at 55mph. It gets "boring" because you adjust to to acceleration of the bike very quickly. 250s are super fun to ride at slower speeds though. The weak point of the 250 is definitely freeway speeds, but it's still a lot of fun.
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May 3, 2011 18:56
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Ok, makes sense. Thanks!
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May 3, 2011 19:19
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Alright guys, I feel like a total dumbass. But I was one of those girls whose dad was DISAPPOINTED and didn't want me in the way in the garage. I'm trying to make up for lost time. I did tighten the chain by myself! Progress! (I was very careful to not overtighten it.) I plan on checking the spark plugs next time I get a sunny day. What should I do if they don't spark? I'm poking around the wiki, but all I'm finding that might be helpful is how to waterproof my electrical connections once I get it going again. In conclusion, here is a picture of my bike sitting behind my house.   (She'll get cosmetic help at the end of this summer)
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May 4, 2011 19:34
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modify_evolution posted:Sigh, never should have sold that bike. Or maybe I should have given all the issues it has.
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May 4, 2011 20:27
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modify_evolution posted:What should I do if they don't spark? First thing I would do in a no spark situation (assuming the plug's electrode doesn't look hosed up) is to check all the fuses. This includes all of them in the fusebox AND the main fuse located somewhere near the starter relay...look around the battery box or under the seat if you're not sure. If all the fuses are good, you might have to consult a wiring diagram and trace the power from the battery to the spark plugs, checking connections along the way. But, how about you check the plugs first before we get crazy? =)
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May 5, 2011 04:13
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BlueBayou posted:Sigh, never should have sold that bike. Well I'm glad you did. Even if it's a pain in the rear end. FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:First thing I would do in a no spark situation (assuming the plug's electrode doesn't look hosed up) is to check all the fuses. This includes all of them in the fusebox AND the main fuse located somewhere near the starter relay...look around the battery box or under the seat if you're not sure. That was actually the first thing I did, since the fusebox and the main fuse are easy to get to on my bike. I'm hoping it's something obvious like the fact that the plugs are right out in the open and probably corroded or dirty as poo poo.
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May 5, 2011 06:09
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modify_evolution posted:Well I'm glad you did. Even if it's a pain in the rear end. If you ever want to sell it..... just saying...
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May 5, 2011 06:43
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BlueBayou posted:If you ever want to sell it..... Haha and you said you would upgrade if you ever got another bike before.  I was already planning on asking you if you want it back if/when I sell it.
modify_evolution fucked around with this message at 07:50 on May 5, 2011 |
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May 5, 2011 07:40
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modify_evolution posted:Haha and you said you would upgrade if you ever got another bike before. Well i got another bike and its another 250. Turns out, I don't need more power.
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May 5, 2011 16:35
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That's the most bitchin EX250 mod I've seen.
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May 5, 2011 18:50
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Can you guys give me a ball park on what would be a fair price on a 2007 Ninja 250 in good condition? Thanks.
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May 12, 2011 04:12
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You can use this for a ballpark http://ninja250.kingston.net/ninja-value.html e: from http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page
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May 12, 2011 04:45
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bladesamurai posted:You can use this for a ballpark http://ninja250.kingston.net/ninja-value.html Wow, thanks, that's awesome.
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May 12, 2011 04:47
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